Tire spreader



April 2, 1946. -A. E. JENNINGS TIRE SPREADER Filed Oct. 30, 1944' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Qwumxto o {72 9s Gum/M4 4 n" s ms m N April E. JENNINGS TIRE SPREADER Filed Oct. 36, 1944 p 4 SheetsSheet 2 A ril 2, 1946. A. E. JENNINGS 3 TIRE SPREADER v Filed Oct. 50, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 p 1945- VA. E. JENNINGS 2,397,863

TIRE SPREADER Filed 001;. 50, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 2, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE 2397,86? 'rmn SPREADER Aaron'n. Jennin s, Central City, Ki. Application- October 30, 1944-, Serial No; 561,041

Claims.

This invention relates to tire spreaders.

An object of this invention is to provide a hydraulically operated tire spreader for spreading a tire to permit inspection of the interior thereof, the spreader being so constructedthat the tire may be rotated while" in spread condition.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tire spreader of this kind which includes asta-' tionary portable frame, and a removable tire spreading means which is'rot'atably supported by the frame.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tire spreader which includes a plurality of detachable hOOks adapted to engage one bead of the tire, and additional hooks engageable with the other head of the tire, one series of hooks being movable under hydraulic pressure away from the other series of hooks so as to thereby spread the beads apart a suflicient distance so that the interior of the tire may be inspected, repaired, or a new liner inserted therein.

To the foregoing objects, and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, theinvention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed. I

In thedrawings:

Figure 1 is a detail front elevation ofa tire spreader constructed according to anembodiment of this invention.

Figure 2- is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken: on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2', t

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6'is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-45 of Figure I. I

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 11 of Figure 1. I

Referring to the drawings, the numeral llfdesignates generally a stationary frame which includes a pair of'base members H and l'fwhich have secured thereto a pair of L-shap'ed' support i'ng members having one side 13' thereof lower-'- most and horizontal with the lowermost sides of thetwo L-shaped" members disposed between the two base members l'l and" H. The rear ends; of the lower members l3 are secured by clips l4" to and 21 the rear ease memt'er I 2 The members also include upwardly convergent sides [5; which are secured to a head-of plate [6,- forming a sup port for an upper rear'bearin'g l'l,- Having an up= Ward opening tearing slot or recess T8 The forward base member H has mounted thereon a} air of groov-d reliefs I9 an 20. Roller I9 is rotatably carried-by a; shaft 21- extend-in-g' between a pair" of upstanding cars 22 carried by' one or more base plates 23 secured by fastening members 24; to the upper side of base ll.- Roller 20 is rotataiily carried by a shaft 25 disposed between a of upstanding ears 26, which are carried by one more base plates 21 fixed by fastening members 28 to the" upper side of base H The horiidfitai sides- [3 of the l.--'- shaped hearing suppofting' membersare secured as by welding or the like to" the base plates 23 A rotatable are spreading structure is mounted on the rollers I 9 and Z0 and supported by the bearing t1, the spreading structure includes a rotatable iramemrmed of a plurality of- L-shaped-m'en'ilaoer's'i9. The Ii -shaped members 29 have one Side 30 thereof hbi'iZontal and the other side 31- of each L-sh'ape'dmember is" radially arranged and-is secured by weldingor' other suitable fastening' means to d not 32 ;The hub 32 hasfix'ed thereto and eitending rearwardly' there-'- from a shaft 33 which fern'tivably engages in the recess 1-8 for rotatably' supborting the rear portion of the spreading frame: a g

The forward" ends of the; horizontal sldes 30 of the L-sha'ped members 28 have secured thereto coupling members or sleeves; and a ring or wheel 35 is secured as by welding or the like to the outer sides of the coupling members" or sleeves 34. The wheel or ring 35 is adapted to engage in the groovesof the two rollers [-9 and 20; Each horizontal side 3lf ha's swivelly mounted therein an L-shaped br'acket'arm 36. The bracket arm 36 is formed at its inner end with a collar or flange a1} rotatemy engaging" the heave s4 and a threaded nut 38 is threadedinto' the sleeve 34 for holding" the bracket" arm 36 within the sleeve 34 while permitting rotation thereof. The extendedarln 39of the bracket and sets bifurcated, as indicatedat 40, and a; hook 4 I engagesbetween the" bifurcations and" apnoea-11y mounted on a pivot' member" 2', The hooks 41 are outermost and when in operative position are adapted to have the bills 413 thereofengage on the inside of one bead 44' of a tire '1. The bracket arms 36 are" swivelly' mou'xfit'ed hithe sleeves' fl so that during the mounting" ofthe tire T on thespr'eader structure, these bracket armsrnay be" swung outstructure.

A U-shaped member has the bight 46 thereof secured as by welding'or the like to the hub '32 and the parallel arms 41 extend forwardly within the horizontal sides 30 of the L-shaped members 29. The outer ends of the arms i'l have secured to or formed integrally therewith a connecting bar 48, which is formed with a boss 49 consti-. tuting a base for a guide shaft 5|] extending "in the direction of the tire' T. A slide member generally designated as 5| is slidable on the shaft 50 and comprises a plurality of radially arranged m which e secured o the -'si is the reb y pulling slide 5| rearwardly against the ,4 tension of springs 84 and 85.v As slide 5| moves rearwardly, bead 51 will be pulled awayfrom bead 44, thereby opening the interior of the tire ing arms 53. a V e ,A sleeve or bearing 54 issecured between the thereof rearwardly ofiset radially arranged bragcentral portionsof the arms '52 and 53 andgslid- V 20 or other desired elements. When the desired or ably engages on stationary shaft 55. The'arms 52 have rotatably mounted in the outer portions thereof hook members 55. The hook members 55 are formed with a bill 56 adapted to engage the second or other bead 51 .of the tire, The hooks 1' 55 are formed with heads 58 bearing against the rear sides of arms 52, so that when the slide 5| is moved rearwardly, bead 5'! will be pulled rear wardly therewith. V r

Inorder to provide for the desired movernent of slide 5| to spread the tire, I have provided a hydraulic operator 59 which is clamped or other wise secured to the bight 45 0f the U-shaped member 45. The operator 59 includes a pump handle 60 and also includes a pressure releasing screw 6|, releasing pressure from the cylinder 52 thereof. A piston 63 extends from the cylinder 52' and has secured thereto a forwardly extending 'ear64. ;A pair of rock levers 65 and 55 which are formed at their inner ends with elongated slots- 67 and 68 rockably engage a pivot member 65 0 carried by; the ear 64. Rock lever 65 is bifurcated at its inner end, as indicated at l0, and rock lever 66 is bifurcated at-its inner end, as indicated at'H; Rock lever 65 is rockably mounted on'a pivot'12 carried by an ear 73 which is welded or otherwise fixed to the connecting bar 48. Rock lever fifi is rockably mounted on a pivot "i5 engaging through an earf|5 carried by connecting member 48. The o'uter end of lever 55 is pivotally connected, as'at 16, to a link 77. The link i? is rockably mounted on a pivot '|'8,,engaging an eye bolt 79 fixedto the'outer end of one of the radial arms '52; Rock lever 66 is pivotallyconnected, as at 80,-to a link alrwhich is positioned diametrically opposite link 11. Link 8| is rockably mounted on a pivot 82, engaging through an eye bolt83. e .4

Inorder to provide for the automatic return of'theflevers 65 and the slide fil to a forward releasepositiornl have provided a pair of springs 86 and 85. Spring 84 engages pivot members 16 at oneend thereof and at the opposite end engasesan eye B B fixed to one of the sleeves 35. Spring-85 engages pivot member and also engages an eye 81 which is fixed to a diametrically opposite, sleeve of coupling34. The frame structure formed by the U-shaped member 45 is braced by means of a pair of bracing rods 88 and 89, which are secured at their outer endsto eyes 90 and'9|, and are then vextended conversently inward and are secured at their inner ends to pivot members 12 and 14. A turn-buckle 92 is interposed in bracing member 88 and a turn; buckle 93 is interposed in bracing member 83. I -us a dwer fiee .Q e $e j e e. 3

10 tion shown in Figure 2.

iHandlefiU may then lee-rocked so. as'to move 5 the tire on hooks 55 carried by slide 5| are swung inwardly so that the outer sides 39 of arms 36 are radially disposed. Hooks 4| are then engaged with the bead 44 of the tire. At this time slide 5| is at its foremost position, which is the posiplunger 63 of hydraulic member 59 outwardly,

and a piston 63 moves outwardly, levers 65 and 55 will be rocked rearwardly at their'outer ends,.

to permit inspection, repair or insertion of a liner necessary operation hasbeen performed on the tire, release 5| may be operated to permit rearward movement of piston 63 under the tension of springs 84 and 85.; Springs 84 and will move 25 slide-5| forwardly until the T assumes substan- 30 that all portions of the'interior of the tire may be inspected or worked upon.

' What I claim is: 1

1. A tire spreader comprising a base structure, a pair of rollers carried by said base structure, an upwardly offset bearing carried by said base structure, a skeleton spreader frame rotatably carried by said base structure and including a plurality of parallel bars, a ring carried by said bars at one end thereof and engaging said rollers, radial arms carried by the oppositeends of said bars, a hub fixed to said radial arms, a shaft fixed tosaid hub and engaging said bearing, a U-shaped'guide support extending from said hub, a connecting bar between the ends ofthe legs of a plurality of radial bars, complementary hooks carried byv said first 'bars and said radial bars for engagement with the beads of a tire, and means disposed between the parallel'leg of said U-shaped support operatively connectedto said slide whereby said slide may be'movedrearwardly to tire spreading position.

2. A tire spreader as set forth in claim 1 ineluding a pair of rock levers rockably carried-by said guide support, and links connecting th outer ends of said levers with saidslide whereby rocking of said levers will shift said slide.

3. A tire spreader comprising a base structure, a pair of grooved rollers rotatably carried by said base structure, a bearing carried in upwardly offset relation with respect to said base structure, a skeleton frame rotatable relative to said base structure, a ring carried by said frame engaging said rollers, ashaft carried by said frame engaging said bearing, and means carried by, said frame engageable with the beadsof a tire for spreading said beads apart, said means in- 7 eluding L-shaped hook carriers rockably carried by said frame, hooks pivotally carried by said carriers engageable with one head of the'tire, a movable hook carrier withinsaid frame, hooks carried by said movable carrier engageable with .5 th he ed.-f e t r an m an m me of said support, a guide shaft carried by said 7 connecting bar;a slide on said guide shaft formed rotatably engaging said rollers and said bearing; said frame including an axially disposed guide shaft, a slide carried by said shaft,. means for shifting said slide along said guide shaft, and means carried by said slide and said frame engageable with the beads of the tire for moving one bead relative to the other head, said means for shifting said slide including a, pair of levers rockably carried by said frame.

5. A tire spreader comprising a base structure, a pair of grooved rollers rotatably carried by said base structure, an upwardly offset bearing carried by said base structure, and a tire spreading frame rotatably engaging said rollers and said bearing, said frame including an axially disposed uide shaft, a slide carried by said shaft, mean for shifting said slide along said guide shaft, and means carried by said slide and said frame en gageable with the beads of the tire for moving one bead relative to the other head, said means for shifting said slide including a pair of levers rockably carried by said frame, and a hydraulic operator for said levers.

AARON E. JENNINGS. 

